Gemotions

"Oh, not again," Mark murmured to himself, but a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. The scruffy terrier mix, Pepper, was back. He knew he should be annoyed, that Mrs. Gable would be mortified. This was the third time this week. But seeing the dog, her small body trembling with excitement, filled him with an inexplicable joy.

He found himself carefully closing the gate behind the dog, preventing her escape route. He took a deep breath, trying to calm the sudden racing of his pulse.

"Hello, little one," he said, his voice softer than usual. He found himself thinking about how he'd been meaning to trim his hedges; he couldn't have Pepper getting scratched. He had to be a good neighbor, even though he secretly enjoyed having her around.